Breast Cancer Recurrence

Breast cancer recurrence can take place within months or years after a patient’s initial treatment. The goal of preliminary treatment is to completely destroy all cancer cells, but sometimes certain cancer cells go undetected and are able to withstand surgery, chemotherapy, radiation treatment and/or hormone therapy. These surviving cells can remain dormant for a period of time, after which they once again begin to grow, multiply and form recurrent breast cancer, either at the same site as the initial cancer or in a different area of the body. Additionally, new cancer cells can sometimes develop following a period of remission.

While each patient’s circumstances are unique, experts have identified certain factors that can increase the likelihood of breast cancer recurrence. Those include:

Initial diagnosis at a young age (under 35)

Large tumors

Lymph node involvement

Lack of radiation therapy following a lumpectomy

Inflammatory breast cancer

Cancer that does not respond to hormone therapy

At the conclusion of a patient’s initial breast cancer treatment, a physician will usually recommend a schedule for follow-up to check for signs of breast cancer recurrence. Additionally, it’s very important for a breast cancer survivor to continue to perform monthly self-exams, be watchful for symptoms and consult with a physician promptly if anything is out of the ordinary or questionable.

Generally, the risk of breast cancer recurrence decreases with time, and many breast cancer survivors will never experience a relapse. In the event that breast cancer does recur, a patient should be aware that there are treatment options available.

To learn more about breast cancer recurrence and treatment, or to schedule an appointment for a consultation, please call 1-888-663-3488 or complete our online form.

Request an Appointment at Moffitt Cancer Center

Thank you for your interest in scheduling an appointment with our expert team. Please call us at 1-888-663-3488 and a patient services specialist can assist you with scheduling or click on one of the links below to fill out our convenient online form.

NEW PATIENTS To request a new patient appointment, please fill out the online form or call 1-888-663-3488.

RETURNING PATIENTS Since you are an established Moffitt patient, please call us directly to schedule your follow-up appointment at 1-888-663-3488.